Aspire
by Lunamaria
Summary: Goofy mourns the loss of time and wonders what will happen tomorrow.


_Aspire_  
for Suki

He could feel it all, the moment he returned home. Pain, relief, nostalgia, longing — it was a rather long list, countless words scrawled upon it. Sadness was paramount though, eclipsing everything, his words and his thoughts simply absorbed in it. He had missed so much, so many lost memories that he could not make up for. Not _ever_. The years had simply passed, along with them everything he had been absent for, everything he would have treasured — gone. He wasn't alone in this though. Mickey, Donald and Sora, had lost the years and the memories that could have been. The memories that were, but where a mouse, a duck, a dog and keybearer were simply _missing_. He'd thought about it always, the time that passed him by, but never regretted his duties for a second, not one. For Goofy was honorable, and he was proud to be on the King's Guard. He wouldn't shrug his promises to protect, even if he had dreamed this outcome, dreamed that he would miss it all. Ah, he years were lost, but the worlds were safe. For now, only for the moment... how safe would they be tomorrow, or the next day? It was his duty to secure their safety, even at the expense of his own heart. And it was a sacrifice Goofy was all too willing to pay, if it meant keeping the universe unharmed, kept the stars bright and twinkling and _just so pretty_. So it inevitably that meant he must be willing to leave his Maximillion at any given moment. And he was. And he did, and time, as it has been known to do, passed.

Maxey had grown so.

When Goofy left the gates of his beloved home at Disney Caslte, sailing away in the King's ship in pursuit of a magical key, Max was left naturally behind. He'd been too young to go, but old enough to understand his father's sacrifice. And, oh, the years had been kind to him, grown him, made him a handsome fellow with bright, curious eyes. A handsome pup indeed, and Goofy looked not only like his mother, but his father as well — and he did. Goofy loved Max, despite all the years of separation. Distance beyond them, they would always be father and son, Goof and Goof. Goofy watched his son adoringly, fathoming all that had been missed. He dreamed for he was not there to know.

Much, so very much, had changed.

"Dad, this is Roxeanne," Max said bashfully, a blush creeping over his cheeks and a soft chuckle, not unlike Goofy's, catching in his throat.

Goofy stared. He had a _Roxanne_ while his father was away? Goofy, again, was both proud and lost, a bittersweet sadness that he could not quite shake. But her red head and tiny smile warmed Goofy's heart; she looked a awful great deal like Max's mother, so lovely and happy. Max watched her as Goofy had watched his wife, who rested so soundly with the Lord in —Heaven. A place where a great deal of his friends had gone, in the War That Was.

"Roxanne, this is my dad," Max covered his mouth with a nervous squeak, "and, Dad, this is Roxanne." _Dad_, the word was as amazing as it had ever been, so resonating.

"It's a pleasure to meet 'ya," Goofy grinned shyly, taking her with a small kiss. Roxanne's musical laughter softened Goofy's heart, it was so wonderful and worth missing.

God, he'd lost _so much_. His son had grown, his only Maxey already independent, too old to need a father. The years when Goofy was to teach Max the finer points of life, the precautions, the beauty, the wisdom, had blurred by so long ago. And he was unsurprised to find that Mickey and Donald, even Sora, were met with similar sadness.

"Minnie has grown," Mickey'd said. "_Without_ me, guys."

"Daisy doesn't _need_ me," Donald blubbered, though they had all known Daisy would always love her short-tempered wizard. But getting Donald to believe that was something else entirely. "She's better off falling for another duck!" At the time, Mickey thought it wasn't really appropriate to mention that he and Daisy were the _only_ ducks at the castle, save the occasional visits of Scrooge, Hewey, Dewey and Louis.

"Kairi's changed," said Sora. He was the only one to smile as he added, "In a good way."

"And Max isn't my little boy anymore," Goofy added sadly to the chorus of forlorn heroes.

And it was all true, in one way or another. He wasn't needed — at least, not in the way he wanted to be. Max was all grown and caring for Roxanne now, being the man he had turned into all on his own. He wasn't little Maxey anymore. He didn't believe in Santa or need the crusts cut from his sandwiches. My, Goofy would give anything (_almost_) to have those years back. But It wasn't to be, for the only thing he wouldn't give was the asking price for those memories: his journey to find and assist the Key. Goofy was simply too aware of what had happened out there, of all the troubles and darkness. So even if it had deprived him of absolutely everything, he would do it again and again... and he wasn't the only one.

For today, the worlds were safe. Goofy would have to see about tomorrow.


End file.
